About the Campaign

We’re your local mayors, commissioners, and councilmembers. We’re your neighbors, small business owners, and little league coaches. We’re the people you’ve trusted to keep the lights on in our towns, cities, and counties. And now, we're a coalition of everyday people in 43 states, sharing the fight for local control of our communities across the nation.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?
In the past few years, many out-of-touch state legislators have passed laws to prevent you from having a say on the local level. They’re threatened by the local control you earn with your tax dollars — your right to have local problems addressed with local solutions. And they’re threatening to take your local voice away with fines and other punishments.

WHO’S BEHIND IT?
In many cases, shadowy special interests and unaccountable lobbyists are behind these efforts. They don’t like when we as a community pass laws to ban smoking, protect our environment, raise wages, ensure local hiring, and prevent gun violence. But we stand with you, the people — not corporate bottom lines.

WHAT DO WE DO?
We raise awareness about these preemption laws that silence local voices like yours and attack local officials for votes they cast. We work with universities and partners to hold public events, film screenings, and panel discussions. We sound the alarm about threats to local control in national and local news. We offer tools, research, and resources to help educate others. We support local governments fighting preemption laws in the Courts. Most of all, we give you a platform to stand up, speak out, and defend your community.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Spread the word on social media. Attend our events. Contact your lawmakers. And sign up today to join our non-partisan, people-powered effort. Together, we’ll send a message to our state legislators that local communities want local solutions to local problems, not more heavy-handed state government. Together, we can #DefendLocal.